University aims to make it easier for students to prepare for prayers

The University of Regina has installed washing stations for Muslim students to be able to wash up before they begin prayer.

Until now, Muslims had to use sinks in public washrooms at the university to wash their hands, faces and feet.

Mamar Al Sayari is from the United Arab Emirates and said cleansing before prayers was not easy before.

"We have to wash our hands, our face, our heads and our feet," said Sayari. "It's hard to put your feet on the sink, and it's disgusting for other people who come in. So it's easier to sit on the sink and put your leg in it, and it's specially made for that."

Mhmoud Essalah, who is the president of the Muslim Students' Association at the school agrees.

"So everything would be easy, you know cleaning your hands, even your arms, rinsing your mouth is fine, might be a little awkard to someone walking in and seeing somebody do this and ask a lot of questions which is a good thing," said Essalah. "When it came to the feet though, how do you clean that?"

University of Regina has installed two special sinks in the school to make it easier for Muslim students to prepare for prayer. (CBC)

Muslim students pray five times a day, so two specific washing stations have been installed in the school for their use.